1992 Breeders Crown

Two-year-old pacing colts represent the quickest Investment In harness racing. A good looking yearling that captivates an owner in October can return an 1initialpurchase price threefold in nine short months. That kind of payoff is the tantalizing lure that keeps us breeders and yearling sales in business. For owners that breed their two-year-old themselves, the wait is longer and the investment hefty, but the return can also be proportionately greater as a good colt makes his mommy more valuable, too. Since the Breeders Crown fs held in the fall of the year, purchase prices are Justified or found excessive, hopes are realized, dashed or simply shelved until next year. The Breeders Crown freshman pacing colt events hosted by Pompano Harness have quite a dramatic history. Who can forget Kentucky Spur's head victory over Totally Ruthless? Or Till We Meet Again's dramatic comeback after a break behind the starting gate? How about the tunning Artsplace surviving a torrid duel with Die Laughing dueling to sprint away to an all age track record, or Digger Almahurst stealing the event from the favored Direct Flight?

The eight colts entered in the 1992 edition of the Crown featured four homebreds and four auction purchases. All four had earned back their purchase price and then some, with Sheppard and Metro winner Presidential Bait, a $75,000 yearling acquisition, stashing away close to $800,000 for Ontario real estate developer and construction magnate Antonio Chiaravalle. Bob Csep/o's Broadway Blue, plucked for $74,000 was nearing the $350,000 mark, mostly due to a second place finish In the Woodrow Wilson. Homebred Bonnie And Clyde had won five times and banked more than $260,000 for Rose Guida, Bonnie Castle Stable and MRF Stable, while Brittany Farms' Life Sign, a son of George Segal's legendary race mare Three Diamonds. was approaching the $200,000 mark. Life Sign bore the fastest racetime, a 1 :52.4 airing staged at Lexington. Bonnie And Clyde was a son of the sensational Dragon's Lair, who set the tone for theatrical climaxes by winning the 1984 inaugural Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Pace over previously undefeated Nihllator. Roy Davis, having won this event In 1988 with Kentucky Spur, was back again with Allante Spur, and Ohio chiropractor Steve Smith, who'd given a mere $27,000 tor Columbus Avenue, was making his first start in Crown competition. Also along were Presidential Ball's stablemate Riyadh, also owned by Chiaravalle and driven by Robinson's son Brett, the Lofty Bruce-trained Tibet. Bruce won this event in 1985 with Robust Hanover) and the homebred Village Jiffy, the fifth $100,000 winner in the race.

A son of Cam Fella, Presidential Ball had endured plenty of racing adversity that kept him from winning some of the major two-year-old events, but held the edge for top honors in his class. A win by Bonnie And Clyde or Life Sign would definitely tip the divisional honor scales in their favor. The unfortunate last minute scratch of Broadway Blue, due to a virus caught shipping to Florida, narrowed the field to seven, with the entry of Presidential Ball and Riyadh established as the solid wagering choice. Jack Moiseyev, a driver at the forefront of the sport in recent years, had yet to win a Breeders Crown, but looked about to end that drought behind Presidential Ball.

John Campbell pushed Bonnie And Clyde quickest out of the gate, but Riyadh, steered by young Brett Robinson, was quick to contest his hold on the lead. That pressure yielded a blistering first quarter in :27 flat, and Bill Fahy allowed Life Sign to range up on the outside to investigate the possibility of Campbell easing back Bonnie And Clyde for a breather and allowing Life Sign the lead. Though Life Sign got within a nose of the front end, Bonnie And Clyde was too rewed up to relax, and rocketed on past the half in :54.3. This left Presidential Bal!, who'd followed Bonnie And Clyde after being blocked by Columbus Avenue at the start, with no choice but to move on the leader or be boxed in and shuffled back. The attempt to brush to the front failed, and when Presidential Ball showed obvious signs of tiring, Moiseyev quickly tucked him back Into the two-hole.

Finally, a three-quarter mile in 1 :23.3 wore Bonnie And Clyde to a nub, and Life Sign got the lead Bill Fahy pressed so hard tor. But all the front end shenanigans left Village Jiffy, lurking a little-used third-over, in optimum position. When driver Ron Waples issued the wakeup can, Village Jiffy answered with alacrity, and easily paced by the expended Life Sign.

Racing for the partnership of trainer Bill Wellwood, Charles Armstrong, AFJ Stable and Fred Brunner, Village Jiffy sped under the wire by more than three lengths in 1 :53.2. Tired but staunch Life Sign finished second, with a ground saving Tibet up for show. Columbus Avenue, with the least amount of earnings on the card added $24,000 to his modest amount, while Bonnie And Clyde hung on for the fifth place check. Presidential Ball failed to get a check for the first time in his young career, and was found to be suffering from a viral infection when scoped after the race. He would take down divisional honors, despite Life Sign going on to win the Governor's Cup at the close of the season.

But back to Village Jiffy. Cam Fella, with five crops lo the races, picked up his fifth Breeders Crown credit. Suddenly the foals out of the already proven producer Village Jig jumped in value. The amazing Ron Waples, who earlier In the year replaced an injured Mickey McNichol on Fake left to win the Little Brown Jug, reined home another spectacular longshot. The shrewd Canadian Hall of Famer ranks third In the Breeders Crown standings and is responsible for four of the seven longest priced winners in Crown history. The $60.60 mutual is the sixth-highest in the 102 Crown events. Waples saved the night for the first-ever national Pick-6 in harness racing, capping off five straight favorites or near favorites with a 29· 1 mutuel. The pool of $75,449 was split between six lucky ticket holders, whose $1 outlay returned them $8,769. Meanwhile, ever-hopeful owners and breeders, (the lucky ones freshly bankrolled with the earnings of their freshman pacing colts) keep perusing the sale catalogs and Inspecting the yearlings, waiting eagerly to see what next year will bring.